[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

November 24, 2004

 

The Honorable John T. Conway

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20004-2901

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

This letter is to inform you that Commitment 121 of Revision 2 to the Implementation Plan for Stabilization and Storage of Nuclear Material for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 2000-1 (July 2002) is complete.  This commitment required the selection of a treatment process for the containerized K-West Basin sludge.  Selection of the treatment process was completed on November 15, 2004.

 

The selected treatment process will oxidize any metallic uranium in the sludge prior to grouting the sludge into a final waste form.  The resultant waste will provide for safer interim storage of the sludge waste until an off-site disposal facility is available to accept these wastes.

 

If you have any further questions concerning these issues, please call Dr. Ines Triay, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, at (202) 586-0738 or Keith Klein, Manager, Richland Operations Office, at (509) 376-7395.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul M. Golan

Acting Assistant Secretary for

Environmental Management

 

cc:   Ines Triay, EM-3

M. Whitaker, DR-1

K. Klein, RL